How are heavy-duty diesel fuel systems likely to evolve in Europe, now that Euro-VI, the tightest yet emissions regulations applied to heavy trucks and buses in the European Union, have come into force for all new vehicles? Delphi's Heavy-Duty Diesel Systems Engineering Director, David Draper, offers his insights.

Lubricant performance may not appear to be a salient challenge for EV operation even when it comes to the development of world electric speed record achievements and on-track e-racecars; but it is, says Millers Oils' Technical Director, Martyn Mann.

Interior Climate Control Committee reactivates development of standards for R-744 mobile air-conditioning (carbon dioxide as a refrigerant), after several German automakers choose to renew work on a system. R-1234yf maintains worldwide lead as low-global-warming refrigerant choice to replace R-134a. German association of the auto industry (VDA) assigns R-744 development work to automakers.

Global sales of plug-in vehicles (PEVs) rose by more than 55% in 2013, and the market is expected to continue to grow at a steady pace over the next nine years, according to a recent report by Navigant Research.

BYD and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) recently announced some findings from a two-month pilot test on a 40-ft BYD battery-electric bus conducted in Manhattan from Aug. 25 to Oct. 25 of last year. The electric bus maker also recently completed the first phase of a 10-month trial, which commenced this past summer in Gatineau, Quebec, and Ottawa, Ontario, again using a 40-ft BYD-supplied electric bus.

Dana Holding Corp. on Jan. 28 dedicated an 8000-m² (86,000-ft²) technology center in Pune, India. Its 240-plus engineers there do work for OEMs in the light-vehicle, commercial-vehicle, and off-highway markets in India and in the region.

Battery behemoth Johnson Controls and Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, MI, announced Jan. 29 that they will team to identify and validate new energy-storage technologies for vehicles. Johnson Controls says it will donate and install state-of-the-art test equipment and deploy technical resources to the university to propel academic and applied research into optimizing vehicle and battery design.

The all-new 8L90 was developed in house. GM claims it improves the Corvette’s powertrain efficiency by up to 5% versus the 6L80 and provides faster gear changes. It is over 8 lb (3.6 kg) lighter than the 6-speed while being equivalent in overall size.

Formula One rules for the 2014 season have changed in many areas, most notably the use of smaller-displacement turbocharged engines and a stronger hybrid-electric drive motor. Accompanying these changes are new gearbox specifications for 2014. The new rules call for eight forward speeds rather than the seven gears used in 2013.

In his new role as Managing Director of Williams Advanced Engineering, Craig Wilson will have overall operational and delivery responsibility for existing projects within the company (which includes the Williams Formula One team).

Nissan’s Datsun unit on Jan. 22 released a sketch of a concept car, saying it “represents a possible direction for the future expansion of Datsun’s model lineup for up-and-coming young customers in high-growth markets such as India.”

The India joint venture established between Tata Advanced Systems and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. has announced that its S-92 helicopter cabin production in India has become 100% indigenous. The India operation is not only assembling cabins but also producing all parts needed for the assembly, before shipping the cabins to the U.S. for aircraft completion and customer delivery.

BASF Catalysts India Private Ltd. is expanding its mobile emissions catalysts production capacity in Chennai, India. Construction of a new 47,000-m² (506,000-ft²) facility commenced in December 2013, with operations startup expected in the first quarter of 2015.

A new SAE International book narrates the history of heavy-duty wheeled vehicles and presents the theory and calculations required to design them. Translated from Russian, the book summarizes the results of the authors’ academic research and experience, and presents innovative technical solutions used for electric and hydrostatic transmissions, steering systems, and active safety of these vehicles.

Tata Motors on Jan. 20 announced the launch of a new petrol engine family for Tata passenger vehicles called Revotron. The first to come out of the family of three- and four-cylinders is the four-cylinder Revotron 1.2T, a turbocharged unit delivering 140 N·m (103 lb·ft) from 1750-3500 rpm and 85 PS (84 hp) maximum power at 5000 rpm.

Knorr-Bremse has expanded its production capacity in India in both the rail- and commercial-vehicle (CV) sectors with the opening of two new facilities in Palwal and Pune, as well as a new Development Center in Pune to be shared by its two divisions.

As evidenced on the show floor of the 2014 North American Auto Show in Detroit last week, new car models increasingly include features such as lane-departure-warning, adaptive-cruise-control, and parking-assist systems.